


Stories by the Fireside

by sonefire



Category: RWBY
Genre: Also that last episode Penny was in never happened, Christmas!, F/F, Gen, Krampus - Freeform, Nickelus Crimson is the new Santa Claus, Santa claus shenanigans, but also not really, good wholesome family holiday, just gonna throw all of this in there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-30 01:01:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13939218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonefire/pseuds/sonefire
Summary: In the world of remnant, holidays were always a finicky thing. From small special feasts localized to specific faunus tribes, to scarce spatterings of religions through the world, (or what’s left of it). But one of the few most common ones was always the week of HeartThaw. The date could shift slightly from town to town, but for the most part it started at the end of December and ended on the start of the New Year.





	Stories by the Fireside

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LordCaptainBilboBrackett](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordCaptainBilboBrackett/gifts).



“In the world of remnant, holidays were always a finicky thing. From small special feasts localized to specific faunus tribes, to scare spatterings of religions through the world, (or what’s left of it). But one of the few most common ones was always the week of HeartThaw. The date could shift slightly from town to town, but for the most part it started at the end of December and ended on the start of the New Year.. It’s usually kicked off with a big party, all the guns are laid down, and a week long celebration of fun and laughter for all the towns folk. Something about coming together as a community in coldest, darkest, part of the month to feast and celebrate. In a way it worked as camouflage against invading grim, and a reprive from the stress and worried and depressive state that could be brought on by the cold harsh winters.. Heh, I know a thing about cold harsh Winters, one time-”

“Uncle Qrow! Monologue in a different room!!” Ruby crossed her arms, cheeks puffed out and neck sinking into the thick collar of a thick gun patterned Christmas sweater. “and you didn’t even mention any of the best stories, like santa, or the big winter battles! Ooh! Ooh! Or or what about the tale of Nickelus Crimson? Oh that one is my FAVORITE!!!” She squealed and grinned, bouncing up and down as her uncle sighed.

“Look kid, I’d get to that one _eventually_ , if you’d just let me-” but before he could finish, he was interrupted once again, but a confused voice.

“Nickelus Crimson? I don’t believe I’ve heard that story before.”

“you haven’t- YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF NICKELUS CRIMSON!?” Ruby’s eyes widened in exaggerated shop, whipping around to stare at penny; How could it be? How could the Atlesians build her and never let her know the simple joys of Santa and childhood tales? “Nickelus Crimson is only one of the best stories ever!  And he- oh, oh wow, So!”

Penny grinned, eager for a new learning opportunity and story to add into her arsenal. Certainly such an important cultural keystone would do great things in helping her to integrate and mingle with the other normal flesh humans! Qrow rolled his eyes, slinking back into the kitchen to refresh his egg nog. Must be a hole in the cup or something..

“Once upon a time, there was a great hunter called Nickelus Crimson!”

“yes, you have said that,” penny interjected.

“I’m telling you the story! Once upon a time, there was a great hunter called Nickelus Crimson! After a long time working in SNOW, he set off on his own with just a sleigh and a few horses. Just his grenade launcher for company when.. BAM!” Ruby leapt onto the couch, arms outstretched and teeth barred in failing attempt to be scary, but still enough to make penny jump with a yelp. “a group of grim with fangs and antlers lept out of the woods!”

“What did he do?” asked Penny, fully entranced by Ruby’s colorful story telling and wild hand gestures.

“he tried to run! But his horses broke free and fled into the woods! With nowhere else to go, just Rudolph the bull whip rocket launcher, he stood and fought! But there were so many, and they were big and strong, and no matter what he did or how many attacks he launched he couldn’t take them down!! They had him cornered good, backed up against his sleigh, but at the last minute he flung his whip and managed to capture one of the beasts! And WOOSH! ANOTHER! And another! Suddenly he’d caught them all and they were bucking and wild, and they took off running trying to shake free!” She swerved, arms spread ahead of her, miming the motion of being pulled along in the sleigh. Penny pumped a fist in the air and began to cheer.

“Eventually when they couldn’t manage to shake him on the ground, they thought they would lose him by starting to fly! The sleigh started lifting off the ground, and the grim took off, swinging their legs so fast. All night they tried to shake him, but they couldn’t get free! In the span of a SINGLE NIGHT, he tamed the wild grim! And to add insult to injury, he strung their antlers with garland and bells, so that they can never sneak up on unsuspecting people ever again, and used them to travel all over the world during the week of HeartThaw, delivering presents and spreading good cheer and hope!” Ruby let herself fall back onto the couch, arms spread and laughing. “So what do you think penny, it’s a great story, right? I LOVE it!!!” she squealed again.  Penny however, didn’t seem quite as excited. While she was smiling, and had clearly enjoyed the tale, she seemed to be thinking about something.

“You can’t tame Grimm Ruby, but I did enjoy it! It reminds me of a story that we have back at Atlas! The people who built it told it to me even. Oh! Would you like to hear it?”

“YES!!!!” the answer was immediate.

“Okay! Once upon a time, there was a grim that was very humanoid with a head like a goat and horns, that had evolved a way to withstand the cold winters of atlas by being very dense, and more attracted to trouble making, disobedience, and sadnes, and it would travel the cold wastelands and once a year stumble back across Atlas and all the children who were naughty or caused trouble it would steal away in this bag-like appendage of it’s or lash, but no matter how many times it was killed or hunted would always escape and come back every year!” Penny gave a firm nod, and flashed Ruby a pleased grin.

She had done it. She socialized, AND related about cultural touch stones! Ruby blanched however, and could only stare wide eyed at the chipper android.

“uh, Penny? That’s a pretty messed up story to tell little kids. Nickelus Crimson is a story that brings hope! And inspires people to share, and celebrate and be happy!”

“indeed!” Penny agreed. “and the Krampus grim has very good lessons too! Such as not sneaking out alone at night, and behaving, and trying to stay positive! All of which are very important lessons for small children to have.”  Ruby flopped, letting her feet hang off the arm of the couch and her head thud on penny’s lap with a small ‘ow’. She still forgot it was metal sometimes

“but Pennnnny, that defeats the whole purpose of HeartThaw!” She waved her hands, trying to prove the point. “It’s supposed to be about you know, cookies, and music, and coming together as a family and community to have fun and vanquish the bad feelings!! It’s not about scaring kids to behave; That’s the exact opposite of what Santa does!”

“I think I still prefer my story. It’s very important to know how dangerous the cold.” She smiled. Ruby only puffed her cheeks. “I think I prefer you more than either story though!”

Sitting bolt upright, Ruby grinned and hugged penny tightly,

“Eeeeeeeeee. You still have the wrong favorite story.”

“I believe the right response is ‘that’s okay’, right?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> A christmas gift when i was doing a love letter/fanfic advent calander for my S.O., and they recently suggested i upload it. First RWBY Fic i've ever written, and i hope you all can enjoy it! I should probably back date this since i wrote it in december, but it seems like a weird thought to me.


End file.
